Chelmsford patrolmen cruising town in new SUVs

CHELMSFORD -- Out are the massive, gas-guzzling Crown Victorias, and in are new Ford SUVs that the Police Department says will soon become more common in the fleet.

Ford stopped making the Crown Victorias -- those stereotypical, boatlike police cruisers -- in 2011, instead building for police departments smaller vehicles that use six-cylinder engines instead of V8s. Chelmsford began using its first three Ford SUVs last fall and plans to add four more in the coming fiscal year.

If all goes well, Police Chief James Murphy said, the department's entire fleet will soon be all Ford Police Interceptors.

The new all-wheel-drive vehicles, similar to Ford Explorers, cost $27,665 each, plus another $6,000 to $7,000 to outfit them with some equipment that does not come standard, such as siren and a cage between the front and back seats, Murphy said.

Having all-wheel-drive raised the price but gives officers "a huge advantage," especially in winter, he said.

One of the new Interceptors was being driven Tuesday by Officer Gary White. The Crown Vics were a classic car, but they didn't handle great, especially in snow, he said.

"I'm kind of lucky," White said. "I get to drive this one a lot."

Miles-per-gallon ratings are far better with the new vehicles, Murphy said, though mileage can be tough to gauge in real-world use because police vehicles id le a lot for road details and other use.

The Interceptor SUVs were chosen after test drives and a review of the vehicle's specifications. Reviews from officers have so far been very positive, Murphy said.

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The department decided to stick with Fords because they've performed well, and keeping the same make makes it easier to maintain, Deputy Chief Scott Ubele said.

The department's mechanic, Todd Barry, is especially familiar with the vehicles because he used to work at a Ford dealership.

In Massachusetts, the state police have also used the new Fords, as have police departments in Haverhill, Hudson and Winchester, among others, according to Ford. Chelmsford bought the vehicles off a competitive bid list.

One of the Interceptors is still being outfitted with all the equipment it needs before it's ready for the road. The process involves taking apart nearly the entire interior and can take about a month. Interior rear-door panels and all seats, except for the driver's seat, are removed, but they'll be kept to reinstall when the vehicle is sold at auction years from now.

Wiring for a computer, siren, radio and other equipment is run throughout the vehicle.

"You basically have to pull the whole interior out to do the wiring," Barry said.

Other features come from the factory, like a column shift that allows room for controls in the center console, which was designed to be the same width as in the Crown Victorias.

The new vehicles are in demand for Chelmsford officers, but they aren't assigned to specific people. Each is dedicated to one of four patrol sectors in town, so they rotate among those assigned to those shifts.

With the new vehicles, the oldest among the fleet of about 20 marked cruisers were auctioned off through a sealed bidding process. Four of the old Crown Vics sold for a combined $12,000. The model years ranged from 2002 to 2010, with between 67,000 and 95,000 miles.

"A few were real beat," Murphy said of the old vehicles.

The Interceptors have smaller engines than the Crown Vics, but that doesn't mean they're not as powerful, Barry said. The SUVs have 300 horsepower, compared to 250 for the Crown Vics, according to Ford.

The new all-wheel-drive vehicles get 16 miles per gallon in city driving and 21 on the highway, according to the company. The last-year Crown Vics, in 2011, got 14 miles per gallon in city driving and 21 on the highway.

The new vehicles are more efficient when idling, which happens often in police work, because the engines have only six cylinders instead of eight, the company says.

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